Rear-end search-light.



`J.`^D. PEBKNS. REAR BND SEARCH LIGHT. APFLIUATION FILED JULY 17,1913.

l ,092,450. Patelltfd Apr. 7, 17914M l JAMES D. PERKINS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT F CLUIVIBIA.

REAR-END SEARCH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 191.4.

Application filed July 17, 1913. Serial No. 779,599.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES D. PERKINS, a citizen Vof the United States, residing at lYashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rear-End Search-Lights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art.l to which it appertains to make and use the same. f

This invention relates to safety devices for railways and has for an object to provide means in the nature of a searchlight attached to the rear end of la train for throwing` an upwardly directed beamso that when the train enters a cut, this beam can be seen by the crew of a following train and Will denote the presence of a train in the cut.

A further objectin mounting the searchlight on the rear end of the train is that due to the sway of the train, the ray of light will be oscillated, and thus present visible *evidence to the following train that a train in motion is in the cut, while on the other hand should the train in the cut be halted, the ray will be stationary, and thus present visible evidence to the following train that the train in the cut is stopped.

A :further object of the invention is to provide a shield for the searchlight, such shield protecting the lens of the searchlight against accumulations of dust and cinders, this shield being adjustably mounted so as to be positioned Pin such a manner as to niost effectively perform its function.

Wit-h the above objects in vicw the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claim.

ln the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention z-Figurc 1 is a side elevation showing the' rear por ,'oii of the rear coach of a train in a cut and showing the application of my invention thereto. F ig. 2 is an enlarged view of the searchlight applied, showing the parts in side elevation. Fig. 3

is allongitudinal sectional view through the pai-ts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is vation ot the parts shown io rig. 3. liig. 5 is an e"largcd longitudinal sectional View sho ing the electrical connection. Fig. "i

a rear ele-- a fragmentary side elevation showing the shield in one of its adjusted positions.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, designates the rear end of the rear coach of a train, the saine being shown pass-v ing through a railway cut 11.

In carrying out my invention I provide a searchlight 12 of ordinary type'having an attaching socket 13 adapted to be removably engaged with a plug 14 carried by a plate 15 that is fastened in any preferred manner to the extreme rear end of the car roof 1G, said plug and socket being so arranged that the searchlight will project its ray obliquely upwardly as shown at 17. By virtue of the searchlight being positioned as above described onthe rear ond of the car roof, the swaying of the car will impart an oscillatory movementl of considerably wide extent to the ray of light so that a train following the first mentioi'ied train into the cut, will have visible evidence that a moving train is in the cut. On the other hand should the train be stopped for any reason, the ray will remain stationary, and thus the following train will have visible evidence that a train has stopped in the cut. This signal therefore enables the following train to be slowed down or stopped in ample time to prevent a rear end collision with the train in the out.

The searchlight socket 13 is preferably provided with positive and negative terminal pins 18 and 19 which are connected to the corresponding conductor wires 20 and 21 of the incandescent lamp 22 in the search-v light, these pins being engageable with corresponding sockets 23 and 24 disposed within the bore 25 of the attaching plug 14 carried by the car, these sockets being connected to corresponding conductor wires 26 and 27 that lead to the generator or other source of electricity with which the train is equipped. A set screw 28 is employed to securely fasten the searclilight socket to the attachin plug 14 so that jarring loose of the searc light, due to vibration of the train will positively be prevented.

An arched shield 29 is hinged at the rear edge to the top of the searchlight as shown at 30 and projects along the sides of and in front of the searchl'ight, the sides of vthe shield being equipped with arcuate slots 31 that receive pins 32 carried by the searchlight sides, there being thumb nuts 33 threeded'on these'pins end serving to clamp the' shield in adjusted positions on the seareliliglit. This shield projects upwardly et a slight `angle from the searclilight so that cinclers, dust andthe like Will be deflected from the seorcliliglit and thus accumulations on the lens with consequent obstruction end dimming of the ray Will be positively prevented.

l3`roni the obo-ve description it will be seen that l have pirovidecl en extremely simple :md efficient night which will eil'ectively operate to prevent rear enel collisions in railway cuts.

An attachment .for removably holding a s-eerchlight in position to direct its beam obliquely upward including an elbow having a horizontal leg provided on the extreme enil with an integral attaching plate end having e.L vertical leg, a. tube receiving said vertical leg Within its lower end and having a herr zontal leg terminating in :L Searchliglit 'et' teching plete disposed obliquely across the JAMES D.. Pennine.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR K. Mooim, GEO. H. Grn-innnsiai.` 

